The Sin'dorei of Silvermoon City
Introduction Those now known as blood elves were once high elves. In the transition that led to this renaming, they glorified their civilization while discarding their honor. Life for the blood elves changed during the Third War, when King Arthas' Scourge sacked Quel'Thalas and shattered the elven race. The Scourge slew more than 90% of the high elven population, devastating their culture. Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider was studying magic in Dalaran at the time of the disaster. He returned from his studies to find Quel'Thalas in ruins. Thirsting for vengeance, Kael'thas gathered the survivors and renamed them "blood elves" in honor of their fallen kin. Prior to the Sunwell's destruction, all high elves were constantly bathed in its magical power. Now bereft of this arcane energy, the blood elves (and high elves) suffered from their withdrawals. Kael'thas claimed that they would soon die without another magical source to replace the Sunwell. The blood elves therefore set about learning to drain magic from alternative sources. Physical appearance Blood elves between the Third War and World of Warcraft were physically identical to high elves, save that they dressed primarily in blacks and reds to remind themselves of their terrible losses. Many painted runes or mysterious tattoos on their faces, arms and shoulders for warding off demons or celebrating significant kills or simply to look intimidating — something high elves would never do. As well, they adopted hair styles that went against the norms of high elf society. Nevertheless when approaching Alliance towns blood elves would often disguise themselves as high elves to avoid harm. Sin'dorei are also likely have long life spans, and as well, they may grow old and age in a similar way to high elves. How fast they age is unknown but there is evidence of some Sin'dorei being old enough to have existed since their exile from their Kaldorei cousins. Blood elves between the Third War and World of Warcraft were physically identical to high elves, save that they dressed primarily in blacks and reds to remind themselves of their terrible losses. Many painted runes or mysterious tattoos on their faces, arms and shoulders for warding off demons or celebrating significant kills or simply to look intimidating — something high elves would never do. As well, they adopted hair styles that went against the norms of high elf society. Nevertheless when approaching Alliance towns blood elves would often disguise themselves as high elves to avoid harm. Sin'dorei are also likely have long life spans, and as well, they may grow old and age in a similar way to high elves. How fast they age is unknown but there is evidence of some Sin'dorei being old enough to have existed since their exile from their Kaldorei cousins. Blood elven males typically have slender, muscular, and athletic bodies, being fairly stronger than humans for the most part. They also possess long pointy ears, acute senses and keen sight in the darkness. Night elves have long, slanted ears while blood elves' ears are shorter and tend to point upwards. Blood elven females can possess much the same, albeit typically sporting a slim elven physique. Like all elves, blood elves are considered highly attractive by the standards of most mortal races. While it was once believed that blood elves and high elves were exactly the same biological race, separated more by cultural differences than physiological ones, it has since been determined that they are, in fact, beginning to evolve into a separate race, due largely to their consumption of mana from primarily fel sources. This reliance on fel magic causes the eyes of blood elves to glow green with demonic fire. This readily available source of energy also tends to give blood elves a ruddier or paler look compared to their quel'dorei cousins. A blood elf can appear like a high elf bearing odd red tattoos across his or her face and arms. However, his or her hair and skin is much paler than that of a high elf, their eyes glint with a green light, and they wear blood-red robes. These represent signs of evolution from their high elven cousins, and it is believed that, with time, they may become as physically distant to high elves as satyrs are to night elves. Recently, those blood elves which were most loyal to Kael'thas Sunstrider have been gifted by Kil'jaeden with the privilege of engorging themselves on copious amounts of demonic blood, seemingly hastening their demonic evolution into what have come to be known as felblood elves, developing a variety of demonic traits in the process. Those blood elves and high elves who succumb to their magical addiction and descend into madness are counted among the Wretched. History Ten thousand years ago, during the reign of the night elf Queen Azshara, there was an elite magic-using sect known as the Highborne, who dabbled in magics that many other elves considered heretical by drawing upon the power of the Well of Eternity. Fiercely loyal to their queen, the Highborne opened a number of portals under her direction that brought forth the Burning Legion, triggering the War of the Ancients. Some time after the Great Sundering, most of the surviving Highborne were exiled from Kalimdor and settled in the eastern continent, founding the kingdom of Quel'Thalas. They became known as high elves. During this time, they created the Sunwell, and switched to a diurnal waking cycle. Their purple skin eventually faded to a pale peach color, like that of some humans and dwarves. During the Third War, Prince Arthas led his army of the Scourge against them, ravaging Quel'Thalas and corrupting the Sunwell. Most of what was left of Quel'Thalas was burned down by the high elves in an effort to give the Scourge a psychological victory and leave the few high elves left who were making their last stand on Sunstrider Isle. Despite their efforts, most of the high elven population were eradicated during this conflict. In remembrance of their fallen brethren, most of them renamed themselves the blood elves, or sin'dorei, and swore to avenge their fallen race. Cut off from their source of power once again, the elves went into magic withdrawal. Desperate for aid following the Third War, the blood elves allied with the naga. This was seen as treachery by the Alliance and they were sentenced to death. Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider led his followers to freedom, to the extra dimensional wastes of Outland, the remnants of Draenor, and pledged allegiance to Illidan who promised to grant them a new source of magic by siphoning the chaotic energies of demons. Together with their allies the naga, Illidan led the blood elves to conquer Outland, gaining in the process the friendship of the nearly extinct Broken. The blood elves then followed Illidan to the Icecrown Glacier in an attempt to destroy the Lich King; however, they were defeated by Arthas, who wounded Illidan, forcing the blood elves and naga to retreat, allowing Arthas to ascend the glacier and merge with the Lich King. During the Northrend events, the most powerful blood elves were chosen by Arthas to serve the Scourge as darkfallen, members of the San'layn. But not all blood elves currently reside in Outland with Illidan: Some have remained in Azeroth. Flushed with their newfound ability to siphon mana from creatures of the Twisting Nether, the blood elves have managed to retake their beloved land of Quel'Thalas. Silvermoon has been rebuilt and the resident blood elves there plot to return to Outland, where they can reunite with Kael'thas and achieve the golden destiny he promised them. Unfortunately, the decisions of Kael'thas to continually accept the aid of the naga and willingness to use fel magic have caused blood elves to be shunned by the Alliance. Thus, the remaining blood elves on Azeroth looked to the Horde to help them reach Outland. Addiction to fel magics and the desperate search for a cure are things the Orcs are very familiar with, and many older orcs who've experienced similar addictions feel a kinship with the blood elves. The trolls who have been the ancient enemy of all quel'dorei since antiquity accepted them warily. The Forsaken have been working closely with the blood elves to purge the greater Plaguelands of Scourge presence since their induction. Lor'themar Theron was Sylvanas Windrunner's second in command during the Second Battle of Quel'Thalas, and many Forsaken were high elves culled from the same battle. The aid provided by the Forsaken has included reinforcements, a number of outposts in and around the reclaimed blood elf territories, and a teleportation device between the Undercity and Silvermoon.